The 6th Orphan Film Symposium

Still from Madame Winger Makes a Film
Courtesy of http://www.helenhill.org

Tonight was the first night of the 6th Orphan Film Symposium. The theme tonight - Anywhere: A Tribute to Artist-Activist Helen Hill. NYU Kimmel Center hosted a welcome reception to Orphans guests before the 8:00 PM start of the program. Dan Streible of NYU's Cinema Studies Department started off the evening with a welcoming intro and an Orphans 6 trailer compiled by Bill Morrison received an enthusiastic round of applause. But this night was first and foremost, a tribute to Helen Hill. Some 40+ of Helen's friends and family were in attendance. Dan remarked on the connection between Helen's animated films and this year's Orphan theme: the State. Helen's films present a utopian world, a dream world for Helen that contained hidden political allusions. Dan also fielded questions from some of the younger orphanistas in attendance - Helen's son and nephew.

The first footage, after the Orphans trailer, was of Helen at a previous Orphans Film Symposium. She introduces herself to the camera and gives her definition of what an orphan film is. She seemed to be addressing the crowd very directly this evening, as if this short footage was a time capsule meant for us from Helen.

Many of Helen's films followed included restored versions of Madame Winger Makes a Film, Rain Dance, Vessel, and Mouseholes. Moving and heartfelt introductions were provided before the films. These were people - family, friends, filmmakers, and preservationists, who were all touched and inspired by Helen Hill. Everyone expressed Helen's radiant joy, her fun, her innocence and her passion for film. Some of these introductory speakers included John Canemaker (NYU Tisch School of the Arts), John Porter (filmmaker, Toronto), Courtney Egan (teacher and filmmaker, New Orleans), Kelli Hix (archivist with the Country Music Hall of Fame, musician, filmmaker), Bill Brand (BB optics), Haden Guest (Harvard Film Archive), Dwight Swanson (The Center for Home Movies), Helen's parents, and many others. Orphanistas were even treated to a rendition of Helen and Paul's song, "Emma Goldman," by Pistol Pete and Rayna Dae. It was obvious Helen inspired all who encountered her or her films.

Musical tribute with Pistol Pete and Rayna Dae

Still from Vessel

Cleveland Street Gap by Helen Hill and Courtney Egan, which featured Katrina flood damaged film from Helen and post-flood footage of the same neighborhood by Courtney

Tonight, the Helen Hill Award was presented to filmmakers Naomi Uman and Jimmy Kinder. The audience got to see Removed by Naomi and Jimmy's student film Grandfather. These films included hand-painted cells, scratched out surfaces, found footage and home movies - all the elements that Helen was able to integrate so well into her films.

Filmmaker Naomi Uman

Filmmaker Jimmy Kinder

The audience was also treated to films by John Porter, Kelli Hix, George Ingmire, and a animation restoration from Haghefilm. John and Kelly spoke of the wonderful opportunity to collaborate and work with Helen, and George Ingmire was encouraged by Helen to utilize his grandfather's home movie footage towards a new film - Think of Me First as a Person - which was beautiful and heartbreaking.

Thanks to everyone who made this such a successful night! You could really feel the love and admiration for Helen in the room. It was a terrific start to what promises to be an exciting symposium.

Reception Photographs Below...

orphanistas hard at work

Dennis James, "International Ambassador of the Silent Film" and the youngest orphanista!

Tattoo is the star of the party!

Tattoo gets around.

Christa Lang Fuller

Helen Hill Family and Friends

A toast to Orphans

End of the night view from the Kimmel Center's Rosenthal Pavilion